Check-valve mechanism.



F. N. RoEHmcH.

.CHECK VALVE MECHANISM. -APPLlcmoN man 11m12.191s.

1,217,106. Patented 1161211917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

srsns cm. Hum-urna. wAsmNcmN F. N. ROEHRICH.

CHECK VALVE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION mso MAYxz. |913.

1,2117,106. Patented Feb.20,1917;

z SHEETS-sugar 2.

maaar orne.

`FRANK N. ROEHRICH, 0E JERSEY crrY, iiEw JERSEY, AssIGNoRmfo GEORGE P.

l .ciiRRoLn or RR1DeEPoRT,coNNEcTIoUT. l

CHECK-'VALVE MEcEieNIsivr.

To aZZiwtom t may concern Be it knownthat I,- FRANK@l means whereby a check valve, especiallyA where soused, shall close absolutely tight as soon as the pressure on'its outflow side begins to exceed the pressureon its inflow side, and shall open when such former pressure falls alittle'below such latter pressure.

The means employed'for accomplishing this purpose are disclosed in the accompanying drawings and in tlied'escription relating thereto. provements of construction as will also so apper.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical sec'- tion of my invention, with'some of the in-V terior parts, however, .shownin front ele-v vation. Fig. 2`is alpa'rtial vertical section'` ythrough the' line 2 2 :ofthe precedingfig.

ure, looking toward the leftyand a. partial right end elevation of certain parts' thereof. Fig. 3 is a partial vertical section` of the structure of Fig# lzthroughthe line thereofglooking toward the'right,1an d a' partial ,left end elevation of certaiirparts" thereof, but with a valve stem .22 shown in vertical section. Fig. 4 is arighthand 4elevationi of certain of the parts removed from Fig. 1 so as to show inFig. 3- certain of the remaining parts 1n `leftend elevation, ex-

cept 'that a Npres-sure .transmitting pipe12 is shown inverticalsection.

A main casing'l has a "horizontal cylin' drical opening-2, axially.fcoincident with itself and internallythrea'ded at its right end. The right end ofthe casing 1 is counter-bored; `it'fhas` an annular rrecess, to the left of Vitsfcounterbored.- part, so asto leave" an `annular tongue 8 `'around the .right y Speeiiieation of Letters Patient.

lAlipliaim'inea May 12, 1913. serial No. 767,056;

N. ROEH mon, a citizen of thev United States, resid!l My purpose is toy -There' are also certain `detail ini-j PatentedFebL-Q,

threaded'end of the opening-2; and it has an annular gasket recess, around the right end of its counterbored part, to1 receive a gasket .4, preferably of lead.' Six bolt holes 5V extend through the casing .1, from end to end, 'outside its gasket recess.' The left end ofk thecasing 1 is also counterbored outside ofthe left unth'readedv end of the opening 2 and it has anannularr` gasket recess, 'around the Vleftendv of thiscounterbored. part, but within the lineV 'of theV bolt holes .5, to receive a gasket, preferably of lead.

boss 7 ,-within'which isa vertical threaded recess, `Aslightly diagonal passage `8 tends downward from the recess in theboss On' l -the top of the casing- 1V is a slight verticall vertical recess, being threaded both exter-l nally and. internally within therecess and having-a gasket recessat the lower end of its` internally threaded .'recess. 'A `passage 10 extends from the right counterbored pa-rt of the casing 1, to the left of the opening From the passage 10 asma-ll pressure trans. mittingl passage -11 extends to the left yend 12, externally'threadedat its right end` and for. mos-t of 4its' length, is tightly screwed into the-threaded part ofthe passage 11,` sok asjto leave an Unthreaded )section projecti-ng.. fromthe left end-'of the vcasing 1.? The.

V2, :into the. threaded:` recess ofthe boss 9'."

passage through-the pipe 12 and the `un threaded part of the-passage' I11 are preferably of substantially thesame diameter.

A seat piece 13 has amain part, of substantiallyjthe same: length as the narrower part ofthe opening 2, with an unthreaded part thereof of substantially ,thesame'length as the narrow'unthreaded'part of the open,- ing and occupying the saine, land with a threaded partscrewing yinto and occupying the threaded part of' the-opening; it has, to

the right of itsmain part, al flange,fhaving' a deep recess in the left surface of the flange containing` a gasket 14preferably of lead, 'i

so: that,.`wh`en the piece is ,screwedinto the f opening vv2, the' tongue 3- compresses'the adapted for seatingy on the seatV 17.

parts 22, 23 and 2e constitute one form of the right end of itspassage; it has, in its left end, three equidistant leverslots, extending from the outer circumference of the` piece to its passage and severally containing three short, centrallyypivoted levers 19; it has, between its leverslots, three small cylindrical recesses 20, extending from the left end of the piece nearly to its right end; and it has,-

on one side of each lever slot, and betweenit and an adjacent recess 20, a recess extending from the left end of the piece substantially as far as .the depth of,` the lever slots and having two wall-surfaces at right angles to each other. recesses, in the piece 13, a machine screw21, threaded only at its extreme inner end, is screwed into a` screw hole in the piece that extends beyond the adjacent lever slot and isthreaded only in its part beyond the slot. A screw 21 thus serves. as the pivot for each lever 19.

A headed stem 22 has theright surface of itsA head .in contact with the inner ends of the levers 19; it has a cylindrical shank extending through and adapted to reciprocate in the sleeve 1G; and it has a threadedright end, extending beyond the seat 17. A valve piece .23 has acentral threaded recess intowhich the stem 22 is screwed andiit has in its left surface an annular recess, containmg a ring 24, preferably of tin, that 1s lift valve for closing the seat 17. n

A motor member 25-has a plane left surface; it has, at `its circumference.andon its extreme right, a highly convex rim bearing upon the outer ends of thelevers 19;it is so recessed on its right side as to be always spaced away from the other parts of the levers and from the stem 22; and it has extending throughitthree threaded bolt holes, registering with the recesses 20. Three guide rods 26, threaddy only at their extreme left ends, are screwed into the bolt holes of the member 25 and occupy and are adapted to reciprocate in the recesses 20. A very thin diaphragm 27, preferably of vanadium steel, at its rim covers the gasket 6 and bears against the left surface ofthe member 25. p lead and `corresponding to the gasketft, rests upon the outercircumference of the diaphragm 27. The exposed area ofthe diaphragm 27, on each side thereof, is much greater than the rear of the piece 23 that is From each of these. latterv The A gasket V28, preferably of exposed to the `pressure of iuid in the passage through the piece 13. A flanged meinber 29 has a plane right surface, approximately of the same diameter as the plane left surface of the motor member 25, resting f against the outer surface of the diaphragm 27 and it has a stem extending to the left from itsaxial center. The diameters of the plane surfaces of the member 25 and 29 are only a little less than the diameters of the exposed `part of the. diaphragm 27.

A flanged rig-ht cover Y30 is spaced away from the piece 23, so as to permit of a full movement of the valve, andit has a flange compressingthe gasket 4, so as to make a gas tight joint. Ai'ianged left cover 31 has a flange compressingth-e gasket 28, so as to make a gas tight joint; it is spaced away frein the flange of the flanged member 29 sufficiently to permit ofv reciprocating movements of the latter; it has a centralopening through it, axially coincident with the stem of the flangedmember and of considerably greaterdiameter'v` and threaded at its outer end; it has, at its extreme left end, a section of. reduced diameter and externally threaded; it has, in its surface adjacent to its section of reduceddiameter, an annular recess containing a gasket 32, preferably of lead; it has an extension at itslower end, in which isa recess 33, extending from the left end of the extension almost toits right end, so as to leave a thin end wall; it has an opening through the end wall of the recess 83,1'so that the unthreaded end ofthe pipe 12 passes through the end wall and projects into the recess; it has in the recess 33, adjacent to its end wall, a section containing a gasket 84, preferably` of lead, around thc pipe 12; it has, for most of the length of the recess 33, internalthreads and a gasket recess at the left end of the extension; and it has a small pressure transmitting passage 35 extending fromthe threaded part of the recess 33 tothe hollow part of the cover adjacent to the outer edge of the flanged member 29. rlhe covers 30 and 31 are provided, in their l'anges, with bolt holes, registering with the vholes 5, and are clamped to the cas-- ing 1 by means of bolts and nuts 36, the bolts passing through theholes in the casing and in the covers.

yA nut 37, having a square internal wrench section of about/the salme area as the area ofthe passage through the pipe 12, is screwed into the recess 33, so as to surround the pipe andto compress the gasket 341, thus making a gas tight joint. .A gasket 38, preferably of lead, occupies the gasket recess at the left end of the extension of the casing 1. A flanged plug 39 is screwed into the recess 83 so as to compress the gaskety 38 with its flan-ge and to make a gas tight joint, but so as to leave an unobstructed course for the flow of fluid through the passage 11, to pipe 12, the nut 37 the recess 33 and the passage 35. A helical compression spring 40 bears against the flange of the flanged member 29 and occupies most of the length of the opening through the cover 31.` A headed sleeve 41, having in its externally threaded head an internal wrench section, whereby it is screwedV intoV place, is screwed into the threaded outer end of the opening through the cover 31, so that its head bears against the left end of the spring 40V and so that its main part occupies a space between the spring and the stem of the anged member 29 and guides the stem, when reciprocating. A cap 42 is screwed overfthe section of reduced diameter of the cover 31 and, by means of a tongue, compresses the Ygasket 32 within its recess so as to make a gas tight joint. j

The outlet end of an expansion coil 74 has an externally threaded' section 43 at its extreme end; it has, nextto its lsection 43,

an unthreaded section 44 of about equal length and of about the sameV external diarneter as is the section 43 `at the root ofits threads; land it has, next to its section. 44, another threaded section 45 in all respects like the section 43. A nut 46, counterbored at its right end so `as to forma recess,is

Vscrewed Vover the section 43, is passed overv the section 44 without engagement and 1s" 'Y screwed back .overthe section 45. A ring.

47 is placed around the section44, next to the nut, and is adapted to occupy its recess;VV

and next to the ring. is placed al gasket 48, preferably'of lead.. An elbow 49 has an internally threaded recess at its left end,-'with a gasket recess at the left end of the'threads. The flange of a wire covered scale strainer 5() occupies the extreme'right of therecess in the elbow 49. The elbow 49 is'screwedgl over the section 43 until the flange-.of the strainer 50 is clamped between the sectionV and the elbow and Auntil the gasket recess of the vlatter is opposite vthe right end of the section 44.` The ring 47 andthe gasket`48 areV placedv so that the gasket is entirely within the recess ofthe elbow 49 and the right end of the ring covers the .gasket with-z in the recess. The nut 46 is screwed forward over the ring 47 until the ring compresses the gasket 48 so as to make a gas tight joint.

The other and under vend of the elbow 49 is externally threaded,so as to register with the recess in the boss 7. .The casing 1, at the boss 7, is screwed over the under end of the elbow 49 intofthe position shownin Fig; 1. The means here shown, for connecting the casing. 1 and the'expansioncoil 74, are

set forth and claimed in my application Ser.

No. 717,142, filed Aug. 26, 1912, entitled Am monia pipe union.

The flange of a wire covered scale strainer 51 occupies the extreme. top of the recess in the boss 9. An externally threaded sleeve 52, having a shoulder at its lower end with i a screw'slot across the bottom of the shoul` der, is 'screwed into the recessin the boss 9, so as to secure the strainer v51 in position. A gasket 53, preferably oflead, occupies aY space in the boss'9`at the shoulder of the sleeve 52. An expanded gas pipe 78, leading intothe top of a still, not shown, is ex ternally threaded near its top and at its top'has an annular tongueadapted to lit into the recess in the boss 9 over the gasket l 53. A flanged and internally. threaded sleeve'54 lits into" an internally threadedcup coupling 55y and has its flange within and resting against the endwall of the coupling, whiley the part of the sleeve 'of reduced diameter passes through and below the coupling. The sleeve 5,4, is placed with'- in'the coupling 55, is screwed around the pipe 78 sufficiently kfar to 4leave exposed the Y,

tongue of the latter.V After vthe sleeve .541 has been screwedinplace', thefcoupling 55. is slipped downward, thepipe 78 and the boss9 are brought together so that .the tongue of thefpipe enters therecess of the the valve'21 or 2b in the patent :to Carroll, .a

978,557, VDec. 13, y1910. The lposition' of seY boss, and then the coupling is screwed up onv v y the boss until the gasket 53 is so compressedthe present valve structure, between the coil 74 and the pipe 7 8,"is shown and described in theapplication of Carroll and Roehrich.. Y

ser. No. 761,173` ined April 15, .isis-,check valve mechanism, being there numbered 77 in-Fig. 5. Y

The method of operationA isas follows: The spring 40' acts on the. flanged .member 29, v the diaphragm 27 the motor member` .25.and the outer'ends of the levers 19 Vso that Y the inner ends of the levers bear on the head of the stem22 in Vsuch amanner'that the valve'constantly tends to close thes'eat 17.

The'thrust ofthe spring 40 ispreferably such that al force of only about three pounds is required to Aopen, the valve. During the absorption period of an intermittent absorption refrlgeratingv machine, there 1s ex.-v

v panded ammonia vapor, under pressure from the coil 74, thatA continually passes vthrough the strainer 50, the elbow 49, the passage 8,

the opening 2 and the valve seat 17, with suf` vfcient force to keep open the lift valve in opposition to the spring 40. For during such period, the absorbent water in the still draws the expanded ammonia from the pipe 78, the sleeve 52, the passage 10, and the pas sages connected therewith, with such ei'iect that the spring 40 has no assistance in its tendency to close the valve.

But when the absorptionperiod terminates and the heating period begins, the supply ot liquid ammonia to the uiishown inner end of the coil 74 ceases, and the pressure in the coil tends to be equal to that in the pipe 7 8. And when the pressure in the coil 74 is no longer about three pounds greater than the pressure in the pipe 7S, the thrust oi the 'spring -iO being as assumed, the spring becomes eilective to close the valve. Such approximate equalization ot pressure occurs, not merely in consequence of the cessation of the supply7 or" ammonia to the coil 74, but also in consequence of the increasing heatl of the still increasing the pressure of the ammonia gas expelled from the absorbent water. This increasing pressure manifests itself, not merely in unshown passages leads ing to a condenser, but also in the `pipe 7 8,

the sleeve 52, the passagelO and the connec tions of the latter. Part'of the ascending through the passage l0 exerts an increasing pressure on the outletside of the piece 23, and thus assists the spring e() in holding the valve tight, in the manner common with Vall check valves. And part ot the gas sov ascending passes Ythrough the passages 11y and and their intermediate connections and exerts an increasing'pressurey on the outer side of the flanged member 29 and the diaphragm 27. Such latter pressure acts through the motor member 25 and the outer ends of the levers 19, so that the inner ends of the latter bear on the head of the stem 22 to make yet more effectual the complete closing ot' the valve. This latter pressure therefore has an intensive effect in closing the valve tight and supplements both the spring i0 and the ordinary pressure on `the outlet side of the piece 23. It is apparent that, as the pressure in the still increases, the greater is this intensive etect.

lVhen, linally, the heating of the still has terminated and it has begun to cool down, the pressures on the outer sideof the flange 29and the diaphragm 27 and on they outlet side of the piece 23 diminish simultaneously, until inally the spring t()V alone tends to close the valve. In this condition the cycle of operation is complete and the fluid under pressure in the coil 741- is once again operative to open the valve.

llVhile the operation of my invention has been explained as a part of an intermittent absorption refrigerating machine, it is. evi-V dent that the mechanism will operate in the. same manner under similar conditions of;

pressure variations.

It will. be noted thattthe sleeve 16 and the seat 17 are both foi-med on the same piece of material. Consequently the seat piece 13 can be accurately machined so that the axis oit' the guiding passage through the sleeve 16 will beat right angles to theplane ot the seat 17, lthus making-possible a true and tight seating of the valve. With the accuracy of. the seat: piece 13 thus established, thestem- 22y and vthe valve piece 23 can be rigidly connected, as.shown. Bymeans of this rigid connection, the necessity'of a ball and socket joint between the stem and the valve piece is eliminated, there is no chance for leakage through the-valve piece and the construction issimplel and economical.

rIlhe three equidistant levers 19 exert an eveirpull on thehead of thestem 22 that prevents the stem from binding in the sleeve 16. By making the flange'member 29, the diaphragm 27 and? the motor member 25 axially coincident with .the casingy 1, the valve stiuctureis made very compact and the use of a plurality. of levers 19 is made possible. This compactness of; structure is increased byy having the terminating passages 11 and 85, andtheir` intermediate connections, within the limits of thecasing 1 and the coverL 81. Y By. leading' thepassagc 85 into that parteA of. the coverl near the edge'of the angeof the flange member 29, there is made'possible aipractically exterior means .tor adjusting; the tendency of the spring Li-O to close the valve. F or, on unerewingthe cap d2,.`the sleeve il may bey screwed fartherI in or farther out, so as to adjust the thrust of thespring 40, without permitting a freexescape of ammonia.

What I have'invented and what I desire to have, protected byv Letters lPatent is expressed in claims astol-lows:

I claim: 1. In combination ai chamber structure havingan'inlet, an outlet and avalve seat betweenthenn-a diaphragm in axial alinement with saidseat and forming one wall of said structure onxthe inlet side of the seat, a valve for closing said seat, means operatingon-an inward movement of said diaphragm to close said valve but lon an outward movement thereofpermitting fluid under pressure fromsaid inlet to open the valve, .and means permitting a pressure ot Jfluid in saidzinlet, slightly infexcess of the pressure of'iiuid in said outlet, to force said diaphragm outward but in the absence of such excess forcing the diaphragm inward.

2.1In combination a chamber structure having an inlet, an outlet and av valve seat between them,a diaphragm in axial alinement with saidseatf and forming one wall of said structure on the inlet side of the seat" a valve for' closin' said seat, means operating on an inward. movement of said l O O diaphragm to close said valve but on an' outward movement thereof permitting fluid under pressure-from said inletto open the valve, a device-tending to close said valve, Y

ment with said seat and forming one wallof said structure on the inlet side of the seat,

a valve for closing said seat, means operating on `an inward movement of said diaphragm'to close said valve but on an outwardVv movement thereof permitting fluid under r pressure` from said inlet to open the valve, a

' cover casing inclosing said diaphragm at its edge and having a passage connecting said outlet with the space outside of the diaphragm, and a spring device in said casing tending to move said diaphragm inward.

l. In combination a' chamber structure having an inlet, an outlet and a valve seat between them, a diaphragm forming one wall of said structure' on the inlet side of said seat, a valve for closing said seat fand having a stem extending through they seat with a head toward said inlet, a plurality of centrally pivoted levershaving their inner ends adjacent to the side of said head to- Vward said-seat, a motor member adjacent to the central part of said diaphragm and also adjacent to the outer ends of said levers,a device tending to close said valve, and a cover casing inclosing said diaphragm at its edge and having a passage connecting said'outlet with the space outside of the diaphragm.

5. In combination a chamber structure having an inlet, an outlet and a valve seat between them, a diaphragm forming one walll of said structure onthe inlet side of said seat, a valve for closing said seat and having a stem extending through the seat with,V a head toward said inlet, a plurality of cenv Y the diaphragm, a flanged member within :said cover having its flange adjacent to the central part of said diaphragm and havingA trally pivoted levers having their inner ends adjacent tothe side of said head toward said seat, a motor member adjacent to the central part of said diaphragm and also adjacent to the outer ends of said levers, a cover casing inclos'ing said diaphragm at its edge and having a passage connecting said outlet with the space outside of the diaphragm, and a spring device in said casing tendingto move said diaphragm inward. v '6. In combination a main chamber casing having an inlet, an outletI and an "interme- Adiate opening between them, a seat piece occupying a section of said opening, yhaving a passage through itself with a valve seat around the end toward said outlet and having in said passage a guide sleeve supported by the outer part of the piece, a valve for closing saidseat and having va steml extend- -ing through said sleeve and a head beyond the sleeve, a plurality of centrally pivoted levers having their inner ends adjacent to the side-of said head toward said seat, a` 1i motor :member adjacent to the central part of said diaphragm and also "adjacent tothe outer endsof saidv levers, a device tendingto close saidvalVe, and a cover casing inclosingsaid diaphragm at its edge and having a passage connecting said outlet with the space outsideof the diaphragm.

Y 7. Incombination a main chamber casing having an inlet, an outlet and an intermediate opening between them, a seat piece 'occupying a section ofv said opening, having a passage through itself with a valve seat around the end toward said outlet andv having in said passage a guidesleeve supported by the outer part of the piece, a valve for closing said seat and having a stem eX- tending through said sleeve and a head bef yond the sleeve, a plurality of centrally pivoted levers havingV their inner ends adjacent tothe side of said headV toward said seat, a motor member adjacent tothe central part of said diaphragm and also adjacent to the outer ends of said levers, a cover plate casing inclosing said diaphragm at its edge and having 'a passage connecting said outlet with the spaceV outside ofthe diaphragm, and av spring device in said casing tending to move l said diaphragm inward.

8.. In combination a chamber structure v having an inlet, an outlet and a valve seat between them', a diaphragm forming one wall of said structure on "the inlet side of said seat, a valve for closing said seat, means operating on an inward movement of said diaphragm to close said valve but on an outward movement thereof permitting fluid under pressure from said inlet to open the valve, "a cover clamping said diaphragm at its edge,

having an openingthrough itself threaded at the outer endand-havng il P'CSgage con' .110" l necting said outlet with the space ouside of having an inlet,'an outlet, a valve seat between them and a pressure transmitting pasy Y 9. In combination a chamber' structure j I sage connected. with the outlet and termi- 'p nating at one end of the structure, a'dia` phragm forming one wall of said structure 031 the inlet` side of said seat, L Valve for Closing' said seat, means Opm-ating 0n an inwmfil movement 0I said diaphragm to fiese seid vali* but on an outwad movement thereoi'l 'permitting Huid under p1essure from said inlet to open the Valve, a device tending; i0 Giese said valve, a Cover easing iiielosing said diaphragm at its edge and mving a pressure transmitting passage teminating et its endopposite to the teil@ mination of said former passage, and a. pipe eenneeing said passages.

Y FRANK N. ROEHRXCH. Witnesses A. WORDEN GIBBs, WALTER L. MUEHLENBEGK.

Copies f. this patent may be obtained for fwe cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

